Concord Sunday April 26 ‘68


My darling. I dare say you will
write to me today, and I must write
to you. I am getting behindhand in
my story. I wish very much to hear how
you got through with your first
music lessons at Russell’s shop-
besides how you succeeded with your
first week of school. And whether
you liked the new trimming of your
jacket, and of your new hat and 
new jacket.
You will not know all our life here
unless I tell you about Una’s transac-
tions and heavenly charities with Mrs
Willard. Una went there one day,
in the first place, to see for Mrs
Cook about her going away and
cleaning the house. Una had previously
been at Mrs Cook’s for an hour and
a half visit, reading to her out of
divine books, and trying to persuade her
to be merciful to Mrs Willard, who
had no place to put her head into. Mrs
Cook seemed to become very placable
under this entreaty of Una to _practice_
her religion, and so she left her
and proceeded to Mrs Willard. When 
she entered, Mrs Willard looked very
defiant and fierce, but finding that


[this part is  written sideways in left margin]
Una made a bonnet for Ann in V.M. of blue silk and lace,
and in evening  read to me a superb essay on Swedenborg by
[this part written sideways above letter]  
Mr Emerson.
Saturday
there was
a snow
storm and
rain and
I read
and sewed
while Una
read a 
Essay on
Montaigne.
When Una
went for
the mail,
I read to 
Ann (who
was sewing
For Una)
the first
chapters
of Matthew.
I am to
read her all
the new Testament.


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Una did not come to scold but 
express pity for  her wretchedness, she
soon began to cry- I can fancy the
tones of Una’s voice acting like Moses
did on the rock. She discovered that
both the woman and her baby were
ill, and that there was a little dress
cut out for the baby which the woman
had no chance to make, because
the baby was fractious and she herself
poorly. So Una brought home the
little dress to make for her. This was
on 16th April. Have I told you that on
that day Mrs Bull made me a long visit,
bringing me a superb bouquet of
different colored verbenas, scarlet
geranium, heliotrope and
rose geranium. She has altered
exceedingly and looked wildly
unhappy. Nearly all her front teeth
have gone since I saw her, and
she has left off coloring her hair
as if she did not care how she looks.
Her face was also much flushed.
As usual she confided to me a great
deal of misery, chiefly about the
intellectual starvation of her
children, and Ephraine’s deep
dejection thereat. I had a letter
that day from Miss Ray, saying she
had heard of Miss [Vanderooosters?]
illness only through me.


[written sideways in border]
Today, Sunday, Ann went to noon mass, so Una did not go to
church till the afternoon. I am getting much better.


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On 17th Una went to Mrs. Willard’s as soon 
as she was dressed. She said she saw
that the woman was of a fierce and
reprehensible temper and character,
but she was much improved with
her gentleness to her, and her gratitude,
which also was not fulsomely expressed.
She said she asked very much to
get some place for her little boy of
nine, for her husband would take
care of her and the baby, if the boy
could be taken care of. Una observed
that Mrs Willard was very fond of
these children, and that they were
of her. Pet names were frequent
between them, and the boy tried
to amuse the baby, (whose name is
[underline] Lily Florence [/underline].) So that there seemed
love in the midst of wrong and
violence.      When Una went for
the mail at night, she bought
some scarlet braid to adorn the
little dress. I thanked Heaven for so
good a diversion of Una’s thoughts
and attention, and I felt sure she
could get no harm (being surrounded
by “angels serviceable”) and that
the poor, sinful woman would
probably have her first taste of
Heaven from Una’s ministrations.
18th was Saturday, and I thought of
my darling’s joy at the bright day
and the music lesson. I was glad
too that Frank Channing had so


[written sideways on left border]
Una not at all strong, but I hope she will be
really better when we go to Bratt. She needs change.


[written sideways on right border]
Goodbye- with thousand loves and blessings- your own Mamma


[page break]
fine weather for his departure
for England. I had written him
a letter in the week to lament
my not seeing him once more-
which I directed to Oxford. It
probably went in the steamer
aboard which he was.
I felt pretty well that good day, and
sewed the breadth of your grey
dress- while Ann bound the
[--]iggin] of my shawl [------] and
mended some clothes for me.
Una went to the dressmaker’s
and had her walking dress cut
out, and brought home all your
goods in her arms, and took
out of the library for me
Layard’s Nineveh. We expected
Mrs Cook after dinner, and
Una meant to tell her how
placable Mrs Willard was,
and that she need not fear to
go. But behold she came [underline] after [/underline]
seeing Mrs Willard, confiding
in Una’s mediation. And she
had spent the whole afternoon
with her knitting, in the very jaws
of her former enemy, in most
sociable, amicable talk and
offices. For Mrs Willard made some
nice tea for her, and they had a
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                2d sheet
real symposium. Was  not that
glorious? So much for St Paul’s
Charity as expounded and enacted
by the “heavenly Una” with “the milk
white lamb”- (her innocence)
I had a letter from Dr Conrad
in which he said I must
take drives and [underline] ale! [/underline]. In the
evening I was very happy in the
bowels of the earth beneath
the sod that had heaped over
Nineveh.
On Sunday Una went to church,
and heard that Edward Emerson
was at home and ill- I wrote
to Mr Waterston about a home
for the poor little boy- and
to Aunt E.V.V. And for the first
time I descended the stairs
on that day.
On Monday it rained, and the
only light we had was a letter
from you, darling. I was not
very well and lay abed till
dinner, at times reading 
Nineveh.
Tuesday dawned pleasantly, and
Una resolved I should have
my first drive. By the time
she had the chase, it clouded 
a little, and we went, and it
was good to break bounds and
[page break]
breathe fresh air. It did me
good.
22d Wednesday was the finest
possible day. Una went for
a buggy and while she was 
gone Lily Chase and some
others arrived from
Lexington to see her and you.
Una drove up just as they were
going away. So they came in
a while. Then we had a
delightful elysian drive,
for the air was ambrosial.
We took Raphael’s angel
and went to Mrs Edward
Hoar’s with it at last. We
saw Mrs Hoar, but Florence
was at school. Of course I did
not get out.
In the PM, I trimmed your
jacket. Oh, I called to
Look at Aunt  [Linnie Nat?]
on our return from Lincoln.
She could not see me
enough with only two eyes,
she said.
Mr. Hillard sent me a present
[page break]
of some ale, which I found by
[---] means, Una had sent for
on her own account. I found
also that she is to present me
with these drives!! I can do
nothing but submit to her
divine aids. The Lord will
bless her.
We were much cheered by a
happy note from Julian
by that evening’s mail-
[No?]- by the bag- at last- arrived
23d. A letter came from kind
Mr Waterston, telling about an
admirable home for the
boy. So he will be saved. Also
a note from Mr Jeffries, saying
he would come up to see the
place before he advertised it.
We went to drive at eleven in
a wild south wind. We went
over the arched bridge and
saw Anursnec[sic], and called
at the Old Manse, but could
see no one. We met Charles
Emerson, driving out his father,
who looked deathly. On
Saturday they telegraphed
for Haven, thinking he was
fatally ill. But he is revived,
and as soon as Haven is married,
[page break]
he is going to New York to live
with him and his wife.
I sent your bundle that day-
Una went for mail, and was
fetching the biggest carpet bag
from the saddler’s, when Mr Sanborn
stepped up and took it from
her and escorted her all the
way home, as pleasant as
[Zoses?], and gay as a lark.
I am forever indebted to him for
making Una laugh so merrily
as I heard her, coming into the
gate. The Sanborns are going
away the mid of June.
In the evening she read aloud
to me a magnificent lecture
of Mr Emerson’s upon Plato.
Friday 24. A very cool east day,
[Foggy?] drew Lily up here in her
carriage and came in to
stay with me while Una went
for the buggy. As to Ann
she went up the tower to
clean the study- and accomplished
it all by four oclk[sic]. A letter came
from Clara Holmes- with
love in it but no items.
Also from Mrs fields to me, asking
me to go and spend two days
with her. She does not know how
I cannot do such things yet.